The Gathered Church (6) - Gathered for Growth

Let's worship God now. We sing to His praise in Psalm 95. Psalm 95 in the Scottish Psalter,

and that's on page 357. The tune is Glasgow. As we were this morning, we're following the theme

of the gathered church. We saw this morning the church gather together for praise, and especially

with singing praise. Tonight we're looking at the church gather together for growth as we seek to

grow, not just individually or numerically, but also spiritually, the growth that the Lord brings us

as we wait on His blessing. So we'll sing these verses. O come, let us sing to the Lord. Come,

let us, everyone, a joyful noise make to the rock of our salvation. Psalm 95 and these verses 1 to 6.

We'll stand if you can, please, just stand.

Let us sing.

Let us before his presence come with praise and thankful voice.

Let us sing sound to him with praise and make a joyful noise.

For God, the great, God, the great King, above all gods he is.

Exalt the earth, how in his hand the strength of his is.

To him the stanchiest seed he haunts, for he the same did me.

The pride and love so from his hands its form adversity.

O come and let us worship him.

Let us overcome with all.

And on our knees before the Lord, our maker let us fall.

Let's unite together now in prayer and calling upon the Lord.

Our gracious and ever-blessed God, we have been gathered in your presence so many times before.

And yet we confess tonight our need of you as much as ever to lead us into your truth,

to enable us, O Lord, once again to benefit not only from being gathered together,

but also from our communion with you.

And we thank you, Lord, that that lies at the heart of our worship.

At all times when we come together to worship you,

our concern is to glorify your great name,

to know you and to confess you as our Lord and as our God.

And we thank you for every opportunity we have to do so.

As we come together, O Lord, to sing your praises.

As we come together to join collectively in prayer.

As we come to hear your word and your voice speaking to us through your word.

And as we come, Lord, at this time anew,

and to share fellowship with each other and to be a means of encouraging one another,

we thank you for the services of worship that we are always privileged to attend.

Lord, help us, we pray, in all aspects of our worship,

in dependence upon your Holy Spirit.

Help us to listen to your voice.

Help us to speak in such a way as declares your will in the preaching of the gospel.

Help us, Lord, in the interaction we have with each other,

as speaker and hearers alike.

Help us, for we need you, O Lord, to work in our hearts.

For every aspect of our worship emanates from the hearts of your people.

And we give thanks tonight that we have this privilege,

even of looking in and calling upon our very soul,

to praise the Lord.

We ask, O gracious God, that our meeting tonight will further equip us

and benefit us for living in the world and for our growth as a people.

Help us, we pray, through these moments we are together,

in conjunction with the times we spend individually with you.

Help us, Lord, we pray, to grow together in grace

and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Help us, as we seek that spiritual development in our lives,

that we may extend what we seek for individually

to what we ought to seek for ourselves as a people, as a congregation.

Give us, O Lord, the grace that will enable us to grow,

to grow in our relationships,

to grow in our interaction one with another,

to grow in our concern, to be to the world a living light

that shows forth the glory and the claims of Christ.

Lord, we give thanks tonight that it is our privilege

to be able to look forward to doing this,

even in the days that you spared us during the course of life.

We ask for all the gatherings of your people tonight,

wherever they are in the world, that you would bless them.

And that you would bless them, Lord, for that same benefit to be theirs

that we pray for for ourselves.

We ask, O God, tonight that your cause will advance.

We pray and we bring to our children's notice as well

the Lord's Prayer each and every passing Lord's Day.

When our prayer is in using these words,

that your kingdom come,

that your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

And we ask that you would continue, Lord,

to provide for your church throughout the world

the grace that would enable us to know the advance of your kingdom.

Lord, our God, we are so conscious in our day and generation

of how much is ranged against your kingdom,

how your kingdom is the target of so much assault

from the forces of unbelief and even of evil.

Lord, we pray that in our day our concern might be

that wherever your people are,

wherever your cause is set forth,

that we may see, O Lord, the grace working in the lives of your people,

that enable them not only to resist the powers of evil,

but also to actually accomplish a victory over them.

And to be sure that the Lord on their side

enables them to look forward to final victory after all is done.

We ask your blessing to be with all who serve you in different capacities.

Lord, we as a congregation know that so many people of our number

serve you in different ways in their lives through the course of each week.

We pray that you would bless every witness to your grace

that we seek to have set forth in our lives.

And we pray that for all the variety of gifts and of service that we represent,

Lord, that you would be pleased to accompany all that with your blessing.

We give thanks that we are able to show forth your glory

in the world in which we are set.

And we pray that our concern might be to do that more fully and more clearly.

And we pray tonight for all those, O Lord,

who need you in a way that is specific,

and especially those that face the difficulties and challenges

of old age, of incapacity, of illness,

of the failure of various faculties mentally and spiritually.

And we pray for those, Lord, who have challenges in life

over their concern with loved ones who may be ill,

or even over their own illness as well.

We pray for those who are seriously ill,

for those who are terminally ill,

for those who have been given the news

that they are hastening toward the end of their life in this world.

Bless their families.

Bless themselves, O Lord,

whether they remain conscious to those outwardly or not.

Yet we give thanks that you are able to reach to our inmost souls,

that you are able to speak to us inwardly,

even when, to all other accounts,

we may not be conscious or able to converse with those around us.

Be merciful to them, we pray,

as well as to all who have lost loved ones

in recent times and in times gone by.

Lord, we continue to bear them before you.

We pray for all those who work with people

who have different kinds of addiction.

Gracious One, we ask the blessing of the Lord to be with them.

We pray for a road to recovery for David,

as he works and heads up the work, Lord,

for a road to recovery locally.

We pray for him and we pray for his work.

We pray for all those who come under the benefit

of being confronted with the Bible's teaching

and seeking to help them along the road to recovery.

Lord, we ask that your blessing will be with them.

We pray too for safe families.

We thank you for your provision for them thus far

in our community here.

We pray that you would bless them,

each and all of them,

who organize and head up the work.

And we ask that you would continue

to bless the families that are being helped,

O Lord, through the work of safe families,

not only here,

but in other parts of our nation as well.

And we give thanks for the opportunities given

to come alongside people,

to help them in their distress,

in their need,

and in lives that are so deprived

for various reasons

of things that we have in abundance.

We do ask your blessing,

Lord, for all who help with pregnancy crisis,

for all those who help,

those who have that situation in life

also to face and contend with.

O Lord, may your blessing be with Elizabeth

and all others who help her with that work.

As it goes on quietly,

we give thanks, O Lord, for them.

We pray that it will continue to be effective.

And we ask for all those

who are helped by it,

that they will come

to realize, O Lord,

your goodness,

realize your willingness

to come to receive them to yourself

and to come to be their Lord

and God and protector also.

We ask for our nation,

Lord, at this time.

We pray that you bless us

in times of great trouble

and crisis and questionings.

And we do pray that you bless those

in authority over us in government.

Lord, be pleased, we pray,

to bless them nationally and locally.

Be pleased to bless our schools,

our teachers,

the education authority.

We ask your blessing

for our medical practices,

for our hospitals,

for our hospitals.

Lord, we ask that you would continue

to provide them with all

that is necessary for their well-being.

And we pray that in difficulties

financially and in other ways,

that you would continue, Lord,

to provide for them

and give those who are in charge

of all of these areas

of our public life,

give them, Lord,

the grace and the mercy

that would daily feed them

with wisdom from above.

We ask, O Lord, too,

that you would continue

to bless our children,

our young people.

Be near to them, we pray.

Remember the fellowship tonight.

And Marianne, as she speaks,

we pray for your blessing

upon our young folk,

our children and young people,

and we commit them to you.

We ask, O Lord,

for the troubled parts

of the world in this day.

We pray for the situation

in the Middle East.

Lord, our God,

there is so much

that lies beyond

even our capacity

to pray about it,

except that we can bring it

before you and ask, Lord,

that you would intervene,

that you would come, Lord,

to bring peace

to these troubled parts

of the world

and help the people

of Ukraine as well

when they presently

may have fallen out

of the news

through other things

coming to take prominence.

We pray for them.

We ask that you would continue

to bless them

in their struggles

against oppression.

We ask that they may see,

O Lord,

your own hand at work.

And when we find, Lord,

so much in our world

to do with refugees

and people moving

from one nation to another

and coming into our own land,

Lord, sometimes we feel perplexed

that the pressures brought

to bear upon various nations

and our own.

And yet we also recognize,

O Lord,

it is your providence

and we recognize

that much may be going on

even behind the scenes

that we know not of

where you are bringing home

to people in distress

their need of God.

And we do pray

that that will be so

even amongst the vast number

of people throughout the world

who are displaced.

Help us to learn

from your word

from such times

as happened in the past

that we may know from that

that God is very often

at work where we least expect.

And we pray that it may be so

in our own age as well.

Continue with us now,

we pray.

Hear our prayers

and pardon our sin

for Jesus' sake.

Amen.

Let's sing again to God's praise.

This time we're singing

from Psalm 31.

Psalm number 31.

Psalm 31.

And verses 19 to 24.

That's on page 37.

June this time is Wareham.

Your goodness, Lord,

is very great,

prepared for those

who fear your name.

You show your goodness openly

to all who your protection claim.

Your presence hides

and shelters them

from those who plot

to take their life.

And in your tent

you keep them safe

from evil tongues

that stir up strife.

Verses 19 to 24.

Your goodness, Lord,

is very great.

your goodness, Lord,

is very great.

Prepare for those

to hear your name.

You show your goodness openly

to all who your protection claim.

your presence.

Your presence, Lord,

and shelters them

from those who plot

to take their life.

and in your tent

and in your tent

you keep them safe.

Your people say

all people

touch

and stare

at strife.

the Lord

the Lord

be praised

because

he showed

the wonder

of

his love

to me.

when in the city

I was struck

surrounded by

the enemy.

in my alarm

I rush

to say

that I was hidden

from your eyes

from your eyes

but

when

I

call

to

you

for help

in

grace

to

listen

to

my

cries

O

love

the

Lord

the

Lord

all

human

saints

a

faithful

will

be kept

by God

but

he

will

give

the

power

their

true

each

strong

day

heart

O

thank

the

Lord

let's turn now to read God's word we're reading tonight from Ephesians

Paul's letter to the Ephesians and chapter 4 verses 1 to 16

Ephesians chapter 4 from the beginning

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

chapter 5 verse 1 to 16

I therefore a prisoner for the Lord urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called with all humility and gentleness with patience forbading with one another in love eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace there is one body and one spirit just as you are called to the one hope that belongs to your call one Lord one faith one baptism of the

one God and Father of all who is over all who is over all and through all and through all and in all but grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift therefore it says when he ascended on high he led a host of captives and the

and he gave gifts to men and he gave gifts to men and he gave gifts to men and he gave gifts to men and saying he ascended what does it mean but that he had also did not be the one hope that he had been given to the one hope that belongs to your call one Lord one faith one baptism one God and father of all who is over all and through all and through all and in all but grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift

therefore it says when he ascended on high he led a host of captives and he gave gifts to men and saying he ascended what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth he who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens that he might fill all things and he gave the apostles the prophets the evangelists the pastors and

teachers to equip the saints to equip the saints for the work of ministry for building up the body of Christ till we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to mature manhood to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ so that we may no longer be children tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine by human cunning by craftiness and deceitful schemes

rather speaking the truth in love we are to grow up in every way unto him who is the head into Christ from whom the whole body joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped when each part is working properly makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love

and we pray God will bless

reading of his word with his own blessing

before we turn to that passage let's sing again this time psalm 115

115 that's on page 153

singing to a tune Denfield from verse 9

O house of Israel place your trust upon the Lord alone

he is the mighty help and shield of all who are his own

O house of Aaron trust the Lord he is their help and shield

all you who fear him trust the Lord

he is your help and shield

the Lord remembers Israel

and he will bless us all

the house of Aaron and all those who fear him

great and small

may God the Lord make you increase

both you and all your line

may you be blessed by God

who makes all things

by his design

and we'll sing to the end of verse 18

from verse 9

O house of Israel place your trust upon the Lord alone

O house of Israel place your trust upon the Lord alone

He is the mighty help and shield of all who are his own

so that you and all are his own

He is the mighty help and shield of all who are his own

and all who are his own

He is the mighty help and shield of all who are his own

He is the mighty help and shield of all who are his own.

O hearts of Aaron, trust the Lord.

He is their help and shield.

All you who fear him, trust the Lord.

He is your help and shield.

The Lord remembers Israel, and he will bless us all.

The hearts of Aaron, and all those who fear him great and small.

May God the Lord make you in peace.

All due and all you are divine.

May you be blessed by God who makes all things by his design.

The highest tempts we long to know.

The earth to us be gave.

It's not the dead who hates the Lord.

There's silent in the grave.

May we extol the Lord on high, his majesty proclaim.

O now and ever, O next song, and which is holy name.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Let's turn now for a short time to Ephesians chapter 4.

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

We're going to look especially at verses 15 and 16.

the Lord, which, of course form part of this great passage all the way through these verses

from the beginning of the chapter, really.

But especially from verse 11, where he speaks about Jesus having equipped and equipping the

church with various types of leaders, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so on.

But you notice it's to equip the saints.

All that ministry is to equip the saints, that's all the people of God, for the work of ministry.

And that's not just the ministry of the gospel in terms of a minister's work.

Ministry there really refers to the whole ministry of the church for which the Lord equips us,

so that as we go forth in His name, we are equipped by Him for the tasks that He has called us to.

So, it comes in verse 14 then to say that we may no longer be children tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine and so on.

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him or unto Him who is the head into Christ,

from whom the whole body joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped,

when each part is working properly, efficiently, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Well, as you know, the human body is used by Paul as a very useful illustration of certain features of the church.

He uses it elsewhere, and he's using it here, as you can see, as an image for the church,

because the human body, for Paul, is illustrative of various features of the church

and various ways in which the church not only acts together,

but actually is a body spiritually acting towards the world and towards God Himself as well, that spiritual body.

So, when Paul is thinking about such things, for example, as unity and diversity together,

in other words, all the various gifts that God has gifted the church with,

he's mentioned that here, that the Lord, when He ascended up on high, led a host of captives.

He gave gifts to men.

The ascension of the Lord, the exaltation of the Lord,

was so that from that, gifts would come to the church by the Holy Spirit,

so that that diversity of gifts, that whole range of gifts,

is nevertheless itself sits alongside and indeed in many ways contributes to the unity that Paul speaks about,

that unity of which we are one body in Christ with all the variety of gifts within that one body.

So, when he's thinking of unity and diversity together,

he finds the human body to be very illustrative and useful for that.

Or you could say that when he talks here as well about development and growth,

he can say that the human body as you see it is also very illustrative of the spiritual growth and the moral growth

that God enables His church to grow in and grow by,

just as a human body develops from early stage through to maturity,

so as a body, the church in every generation grows,

until finally the whole church will be complete in the presence of God in glory.

And it's also important that we see his illustration of the body,

the human body, as illustrative of the spiritual body,

with a reference to the head of the body.

And as we'll see tonight, it's from our head, from our brain,

through the various parts of the body, that in many ways the body is controlled.

And what he's saying is that that's true spiritually of the church,

because the head of the church is Jesus Himself.

It is Christ.

That's what he's saying here.

From whom, verse 16,

the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it's equipped,

makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

In other words, that growth, that capacity for growth,

that enabling of growth comes from the head, comes from Christ.

The controlling of the body is Christ Himself, as He's the head of the church.

And from that, we can see quite a number of things develop.

The body will grow, verse 11 here, he says,

where he's saying the growth of the body.

He gave all these different functions to people in the church

to equip the saints for the work of ministry,

until he says in verse 13,

we all attain to the unity of the faith

and of the knowledge of the Son of God

to mature manhood,

to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Now, some people take it that that's a reference to the church

even in this world,

that it goes on maturing or growing.

But I think it's better to see that Paul is looking towards

the final growth,

the final maturity of the church in glory,

where it will perfectly be in the image

or in conformity to Christ Himself.

And it's an interesting thing that you think of

of the church corporately,

the whole of the church,

all of God's people united together,

that it's as a whole body,

he's speaking here,

of them conforming to Christ.

We tend to think about individual conformity to Christ,

and indeed that's perfectly proper.

The Bible teaches that.

But it's another dimension, really, isn't it?

When you think of the whole church

in its final state of maturity and glory,

that that itself, in a mysterious way,

but a wonderful way,

is conformity to Christ Himself

in His exalted glory.

The final likeness to Himself.

But you see, while we may take it that way,

He still takes us back to the meantime,

where He says in verse 14,

so that we may no longer be children

tossed to and fro by the waves

and carried about by every wind of doctrine,

by human cunning and craftiness

in deceitful schemes.

In other words, the powers that we face,

as they are themselves fueled by the satanic,

by the dark forces that exist in the universe,

how do we face these?

How are we equipped in order to not only face them,

but to overcome them or to resist them?

Well, He says,

by together growing unto the Lord.

It's possible, of course,

that you need to resist

and to overcome the powers,

these evil powers for yourself as a Christian,

for us individually.

But this is talking corporately.

This is talking of the church as a body.

And one of the beauties

and one of the privileges

of belonging to the church

is that you're not on your own

as you face these powers.

It's the church as a body,

the church together.

And we're following this theme

for a few studies

of the gathered church,

the church in its gatheredness,

its togetherness, if you like.

And it's also applicable then

to this particular point

of facing the powers

that are ranged against the church.

And it's clear from verses 11 to 16,

we're going to come to verse 15 in a minute,

but this just feeds into it.

It's clear from these verses,

from verse 11 onwards,

that the apostle is really speaking

of what we might call our togetherness.

Our togetherness under the headship of Christ,

in the togetherness with which

we are required to grow

and for which God enables that growth

through the ministry of the gospel,

the ministry of his word,

and the ministry of believers together,

one to another.

And so let's come to see

what he's saying now

in verse 15 and 16.

A couple of things I'm going to focus on

from these two verses.

First of all,

what he means by growing up

unto the head who is Christ.

Rather, speaking the truth in love,

we are to grow up in every way

unto him who is the head,

even Christ or into Christ.

That's the first thing.

A number of things he mentions under that.

Secondly, each part contributes

to the whole body's growth.

It says there,

from whom the whole body is joined together.

But he says,

when each part is working properly,

it makes the body grow

so that it builds itself up in love.

Now, it is a complex passage,

and I'm not going to try

and open up some of the phrases,

the particular phraseology in it.

I want to keep our minds focused

on the central emphasis

of growing spiritually

under the direction

and in relation to Christ

and to each other,

and how the gathered church,

even in its gatherings such as this,

is a church that gathers

to enable that growth

to take place

through the blessing of Christ,

through the ministry

of God's Holy Spirit.

So, growing up unto Christ,

you see what he's saying here?

Rather, speaking the truth in love.

Instead of actually caving in,

if you like,

or being tossed to and fro

by these different doctrines

and human cunning and craftiness

and the deceitful schemes

that we face instead,

he says,

rather than that,

speaking the truth in love,

we are to grow up unto him.

What does he mean by the truth?

Well, he means far more

than just not telling lies

to each other,

important though that is.

By the truth,

he means what God

has actually revealed of himself,

of his salvation.

The whole revelation of God,

as you find it,

actually set out in the Bible.

The truth of God,

truth about God himself,

the truth about salvation,

truth about ourselves,

who we are,

what we're like,

where we came from,

all of the things the Bible reveals,

in fact,

you could say,

that is God's truth revealed to us,

God's revealed truth.

And it's objective.

It's absolute truth.

It's independent,

if you like,

of our input.

We didn't produce it.

And we have to remember that

in our day as well.

The truth is not

what people think it should be.

The truth is not

what people would want

the Bible to say

rather than what it says.

The truth is not

God's truth

adapted,

as it were,

from generation to generation

to fit in with

what human beings

think it ought to say.

The truth is here.

The truth is objective.

The truth is absolute.

It's unchanging truth

because it's God's truth.

Because it reflects

God's character

and God's will

and God

who is Himself truth.

And so,

that objective,

absolute truth,

is really what we are to

take as what he means here.

Rather,

speaking the truth

in love.

And that takes us to

think of,

as we're thinking of,

the truth as not being,

and you can say,

the truth is not actually

religion.

The truth is not

any particular

holy book.

The truth is not

humanism.

The truth is not

secularism.

The truth is not

any of these things.

The truth is

God's revealed will

as you have it

in the Scriptures.

But then,

what does he mean

by speaking the truth

in love

to each other?

Well,

that takes us

to the word speaking.

Because actually,

the word speaking

is more than just

speech or conversation.

The word speaking

actually means

something like

holding to

or showing

the truth of God.

In other words,

what he's talking about

is our lives.

Our lives as they are

together,

as we form the church,

as we form the body

of Christ

in this world

under the headship

of Christ,

we are to be

showing the truth.

We are to be

holding the truth.

We are to actually

show that the truth

is meaningful to us.

Our lives have to be

truthful in the sense,

not just free of lies,

but truthful

in presenting the truth.

There's a word

which isn't very,

it isn't very elegant,

but nevertheless,

it kind of captures

what we're at here,

that your life

has to be

a truthing life.

Truthing in the sense

of showing the truth,

living for the truth,

standing for the truth,

presenting the truth,

commending the truth,

all of the things

that are to do with

holding the truth

and showing forth

the truth in your life.

But it's not just

in your life individually,

what he's saying here is

this is actually

something not just

for the believer,

but for believers

together,

for the people of God

as the body of Christ.

They are to

hold and show out

the truths of God

in love in their lives.

In other words,

this is actually speaking

about our whole way

of life together,

our relationships together,

how we live together,

how we relate to each other,

how we speak to each other,

how we listen to each other,

how we care for each other,

how we show our care

for each other.

You see,

the gathered church,

the togetherness

of God's people,

as we said at the beginning,

is a togetherness

through which the truth

must be shown,

through which the truth

comes to be seen,

not only among themselves,

but to the world out there.

It's together

as His body

that we are to live

out God's truth.

And you can only do that

as we gather together,

as we meet together,

as we relate meaningfully

to each other,

as we have fellowship

with one another

and with God,

and together as we meet

and have fellowship

with God in that.

What are you saying?

Rather,

speaking,

holding forth.

It involves speaking,

of course,

but it's not confined to that.

Speaking the truth,

but He's saying,

in love.

That's such a vital,

vital part

of His emphasis there.

We're not just to be

caring for each other,

speaking to each other,

showing out the truth of God

and how we live.

We are to do that

in love.

That's such an important

consideration,

isn't it?

In fact,

it really is to be,

as it were,

put on over all the other parts

of the garments

we wear spiritually.

Put on truth,

is what He says in Colossians.

Putting on this

over all the other parts

of the spiritual garments

that you wear.

Put on love.

See verse 18 there,

the very end of the verse there,

makes the body grow

so that it builds itself up

in love.

Remember that

as a spiritual body,

we are always visible.

And just like parts of

your natural body,

your human body,

when one part is affected

in some way,

either positively

or mostly negatively,

if it's hurt,

the rest of the body

actually feels that.

The rest of the body

is affected by that.

And it's the same way

spiritually,

because as Paul thinks

of the human body

as being illustrative

of the spiritual body

that we are together,

what he is saying,

we are to grow

in love,

we are to exercise

our relationships

one with another

in love,

because there's a watching

world out there

for one thing.

Not only does it affect

other parts

of the body,

but the one thing

that a real turn off

of the world

is when Christians

are seen not to love

each other.

That was one of the

great confessions

made by the world

in the apostles' own day.

Behold how they love

each other.

Look at how they love

each other.

These were pagan people

watching the church,

watching these people

of God,

watching these Christians

as they met,

as they went about

their business

from day to day,

as they met together,

as they related

to each other,

as they spoke out

to the world

around them.

They loved each other.

They were able

to put up with so much

because they valued

the headship of Christ,

the spirit of Christ,

because they loved

each other.

Our spiritual body,

or we as a spiritual body,

are intensely visible

to the world.

And while you want

that world out there

to be changed,

people to be converted,

people to come

to join the spiritual

body of Christ

that we are,

nevertheless,

you know of their opposition.

You know how difficult

they make it at times.

You pray for them,

and yet so much

comes your way

by hostility,

by opposition,

by refusals.

And when you widen

that into the situation

that we face

in our society today,

you can see

how difficult it is

in the present climate

to live consistently,

not just as a Christian,

but as a Christian church

together in the way

we relate to each other

so that our love

for each other

is made plain

and made effective

to the world.

But that's what Paul

is saying.

There should be no place

at all for cold

orthodoxy.

You know,

it's perfectly easy

to be very orthodox

in your doctrine

and yet be as cold

as ice

in your relationship

to your fellow Christians.

Well,

that orthodoxy

is very ineffective,

and in fact,

that orthodoxy

is very off-putting

to the world

and even to other Christians too.

Yes,

of course,

we need orthodoxy,

but there should be

no place for a cold type.

No,

there should be

any place for

what you might call

as denominational pride.

When we compare ourselves

with other denominations,

and when we say

that the church

at large

in some ways

is defective

or has left

the truth of God

as you find that

in various places

throughout our nation,

throughout the world,

that doesn't mean

that we hold ourselves

up in pride

and preen ourselves

as if we were

the best of the best.

Nor does it mean

that we give place

for a moment

to any party spirit

even within

a congregational setting.

That's what was wrong

to a great extent

in Corinth.

People were saying,

oh,

I am of Apollos.

Others were saying,

no,

no,

I'm of Cephas.

He's my man.

I'm his follower.

What others were saying,

no,

I'm not of Cephas.

I'm not of Apollos.

That's far too low for me.

I am of Christ.

I'm superior to that.

I belong to that group

who put Christ first.

Be done with your Cephas

and with your Apollos.

They're just human beings.

What does Paul say to them?

Is Christ divided?

Are we a body of Christ?

He is saying,

are you a body of Christ?

To the Corinthians,

are you a body of Christ?

And yet,

going about

with all these divisions

among you,

what's wrong with you?

Because

you're not speaking

the truth in love.

You're not holding

the truth in love.

You have intense rivalries.

You're competing

with each other.

And even the disciples,

of course,

well,

we can follow them

because it's just

our own heart after all

that is revealed

through them,

isn't it?

On their way there

to the Passover,

on their way

as Jesus made His way

ultimately to the cross,

what were they talking about?

Well,

they weren't talking.

They were actually disputing.

And they were disputing

which of them

would be the greatest.

Apostles,

disciples,

called by Jesus

to be His followers,

to be His witness

to the world,

to be His witness

in the truth.

And they're disputing,

they're squabbling

over which was going

to be the greatest.

Who's going to have

the highest place?

And Jesus is saying,

be done with that.

That's not my church.

That's not my body.

That's what we're not.

That's what we're,

that's not what we're called

to be and to do

in our relations

to each other.

But,

holding the truth,

showing the truth,

living the truth

in love.

In love.

And,

elsewhere,

he shows,

as he does

in this chapter itself

later on,

how they are to be

quite different

to the pagan world

around them.

He says,

verse 20,

this is not the way

you have learned Christ.

So,

put off your old self,

your former manner of life,

and as corrupt

through the deceitful desires,

be renewed

in the spirit of your mind.

Put on the new self.

Put away falsehood.

Speak the truth

with your neighbor.

Verse 25,

be angry.

Do not sin.

Let not the sun

go down on your anger.

Give no opportunity

to the devil.

Let the thief

no longer steal.

Rather,

let him labor.

Let no corrupting talk

come out of your mouth.

Only such as is good

for building up

as fits the occasion.

Don't grieve

the spirit of God.

Let all bitterness

and wrath

and anger

and clamor

and slander

be put away from you

along with all malice.

Be kind to one another,

tenderhearted,

forgiving one another,

as God in Christ

forgave you.

But don't let the chapter

break,

put you off.

You have to go

into the next verse.

Therefore,

be imitators of God

as beloved children

and walk in love

as Christ loved us

and gave himself up for us.

When he's saying there,

be imitators of God.

Seek to be as like God

as it's possible to be

in this life.

Walk in love

as beloved children.

What does he mean by that?

Children already loved by God.

Beloved in that sense.

Reflect, he's saying,

that love

as you speak the truth in love.

As you live out the truth in love.

Let love be preeminent.

Let love be on the top

of your agenda.

Let love to one another

and love for God

dominate your life.

That's really what he's saying.

Rather,

speaking the truth in love.

And you see how that fits into

our gathering together

from time to time.

But even as we leave

such gatherings

as we're involved with today

and you go out,

you still remain

the body of Christ,

united together in Christ.

And so as parts of that body,

as members of that body,

as you live in the world,

this is the world's,

this is to be the world's view of us.

So growing up unto Christ

means in the truth

and speaking or living out the truth

and doing that in love.

And we are to grow up,

he says,

up in every way unto him

who is the head unto Christ.

From each part,

secondly,

each part contributes

to the body's growth overall.

Now we've said already,

from whom,

in verse 16,

the whole body,

from Christ,

from whom the whole body

receives its nourishment,

you might say.

That means that

our growth

has a source.

Our growth is

fueled by the grace of Christ.

He is himself

the source

of what enables us

to grow together

and to be in our relationships

together what we ought to be.

Verses,

verse 7,

verse 11,

and all the way through

verse 7 to 10 here,

what we're seeing is that

we don't grow

from our own competency,

from our own ability.

There's not a self-produced growth.

It's a growth that comes

through the grace of Christ

being channeled

into our souls,

into our life together,

into our life individually.

And that's why the head

is so important

as the source

from which we receive

all our nourishment

and all our ability.

That, of course,

carries with it.

I'm just saying this in passing.

It's a point that's come to me.

It means that in passing

you maintain

and I maintain

our individual

relationship with Christ.

Otherwise,

that's going to be reflected

in the quality

or lack of it

of the whole body

in its growth.

But what he says here

then goes on

to say,

from whom

the whole body

joined and held together

by every joint

with which it's equipped.

Literally,

it's saying

by every joint

of the supply.

Very complex phrases

he uses

and I'm not going

to try and open them up.

It would take a lot of time.

When each part

is working properly

makes the body grow

so that it builds itself

up in love.

And I think

it's best really

if we think of

again our human body

which he's actually

using anyway

as an illustration.

Think of the different

parts and functions

of these parts

in our human body.

There are limbs.

There are bones.

There are joints.

There are muscles.

There's the skin.

There are ligaments.

Every part of your body

physically

as it's joined together

marvelously

in God's creation.

There are bones

fit into various sockets

here and there.

The arms,

the legs,

they're tied to the trunk

of your body,

your neck,

all of these things.

All of these parts

of the body

are fitted together

so that they function.

Each of them

has its own function

but each contributes

to the whole

working of the body.

But not only that,

over all of these parts

such as the bones

and the flesh

and the sinews

and so on,

you have two

two

communicating

you might say

two communicating

systems.

The communication

that comes

from the head

is communicated

to the rest

of the body

even to the tiniest

bits of the tip

of your finger

through the nervous system.

And the nervous system

is what carries

the messages

of the brain

through to these

parts of the body

by which they are

then enabled

to function.

That's why

when something

goes wrong

with any part

of your body

or when something

goes wrong

with the brain

itself,

sadly at times

and the messages

don't reach

parts of the body

with various diseases,

sadly,

that you see,

some parts of the body

cease to function

properly.

They're not getting

the right signals.

That particular overlay,

if you like,

of the nervous system

has ceased to function

as it should.

But there's another

system as well

that's necessary

for the overall

good of the body

and again it reaches

every single part

of the body

and what is it?

It is, of course,

the vascular system,

the system that conveys

blood throughout the body

to all parts

of the body.

And when you think

of all of these

and how they illustrate

the spiritual body

that we are together

as we seek to serve

the Lord Jesus Christ,

as we are the church

in this world together,

the gatherer church,

the church as it functions

in the world,

so the different parts

of the body,

the different types

of gifts that Christ

has endowed

his church with,

they all function

by virtue of receiving

from the head

all the abilities,

all the grace,

all the nourishment

that these parts

of the body require.

And whether we're

involved in preaching

the gospel

or whether you're involved

in working with young people,

teaching in the Sunday school,

being involved

with the youth club,

being involved

with working

with older people,

whether you're actually

working with people

who have addictions,

people who are ill,

people who have severe disease,

whatever it is,

it's through the grace

of Christ

that you're enabled

to actually carry out

these duties effectively.

But that means that

each and every part

of the body

must be working properly.

That's why your relationship

individually with Christ

is so important.

The various parts

of the body,

each is different

in many ways,

as you can see

in your physical body.

There's a huge difference

between your little toe

and your nose

or your neck

and parts of your legs.

But they all have

the same supply.

The nervous system

and the blood supply

supplies each

and all of them.

And what does that

actually mean?

Well, it means

the end result is

that from Jesus

the body is held together

by every joint

of the supply,

the supply that comes

from Him.

When each part

is working properly,

it makes the body grow

so that it builds

itself up

in love.

So three points

just to make

by way of

a final application.

There's so much else

that we could say,

but the time is gone

and a lot of these things

would take time

to open up further.

I hope you've got

the main gist

of the passage

and what it's saying

to us by way

of our need to grow

and the privilege

of growing together

spiritually under Christ's

direction

and under Christ's

enabling.

But the three points

I want to finish with

are these.

Firstly,

each part

must have

a living connection

with the head.

Each part

must have

a living connection

with the head

because Paul is

reminding us

that the body's

functions,

the spiritual body's

functions are

as each part

is working properly.

Tonight,

you and I

have to ask ourselves,

do I have

a living connection

with Jesus?

I have a connection

with him formally,

you might say,

because I belong

to his church

outwardly,

because I form

part of those people

who worship him

regularly

in Stornoway Free Church.

But then I have

to ask myself,

do I have more

than the ability

to speak such

as it is?

Do I have more

than being able

to stand in front

of people and say

certain things

for a certain

amount of time?

What is my own

connection to Christ?

And you have to say

that of yourself.

Do I have a living

connection with Jesus?

Is there grace?

Is there power?

Is there ability?

Is there life

flowing from Jesus

into my soul

and into my life?

Am I a living part

of this body

that meets

from time to time

and seeks to worship

the Lord

as we do tonight?

See, how vital

that is for yourself

and for myself.

To really ask ourselves,

whatever age we're at,

it's true of young folks

as well as old,

that we have to have

a living connection

with the head.

A living connection

with Jesus himself.

Because the passage

as we've seen

speaks about Jesus

and his being ascended

up into the heavens.

In other words,

Jesus has died,

he's risen from the dead,

he's shown his power,

he's exercised his power,

that power is in him

as he is now seated

at God's right hand.

And it's to that

that we look

as the head of the church

that supplies us.

But you and I

have to look individually

at it as well

and ask ourselves,

am I one of these people?

Am I just turning up

every Sunday?

Do I have something

more than just habit

or good habit

though it might be?

So if you're here

tonight and

you know that

you're not yet saved

and you want to be saved,

surely,

you want to be a living

part of this body

of Christ,

you want to be able

to function spiritually,

effectively,

to contribute

your own contribution

and to receive

from Jesus

the life you know

you need.

Well, here is God

saying to you,

firmly but gently,

make sure that

you're connected

vitally,

savingly,

spiritually,

in a life-receiving way

with me.

And you do that

by not trying to

make yourself

better than you are

so that you then

come to be joined to him,

you just cast yourself

upon him.

And you say,

Lord,

I cannot do you,

I cannot do it

except as I am

joined to you.

I can't save myself.

I need you to save me.

I need you to be my head,

my Lord,

my Savior.

Please receive me.

Please forgive my sins.

Please give me

a meaningful place

in your living body.

The second thing is,

each part

is important

to that body

and needed

by the body

and affects

all the other parts.

You see,

you mustn't say

tonight that,

well,

I'm not really important,

I shouldn't see myself

as a significant part

of the whole body

because I don't have

the capacity of others,

I don't have

the ability of others,

I don't have such things

as I see in other people

who serve the Lord.

I'm just a tiny wee fragment,

just forget about me.

I don't need to commit myself fully.

I don't have what it takes anyway.

Never say that about yourself.

Never think you're insignificant

to God.

If we were insignificant to God,

would He have sent His Son

to die the death of the cross?

When you see

old stonework

with a large lintel,

maybe on top of a doorway

or a gate,

and you look at that lintel

and you ask yourself,

is that the most important stone

in this opening,

in this entrance?

And of course,

your immediate reaction is,

well, yes,

it's strong,

it's holding up

a lot of other stones.

It's really there

to take the weight,

if you like,

of everything that's above it.

Yes, but you look under the stone,

there are little wedges,

little stone slices or wedges

that have been carefully

set in a particular place

and carefully by a stonemason

or whoever built it.

And it is these

that keep the large stone

balanced from moving

as they're placed in

under the large lintel stone.

And these little stones

are just as vital

to the whole gateway

as the lintel

that you see prominently.

So it is in the church.

It's not the people

that you see prominently

in the work of Jesus alone

that are important

to the work.

You are too.

Even if you're not seen

and visible

and prominent in the church,

even if you're just

worshiping Him,

loving Him,

showing your love for Him,

praying to Him

for yourself,

praying that God

will bless His church

and His cause,

well, you're needed

in the church.

You're valuable

to the church.

Christ Himself

says of you,

you're not insignificant.

I have a work for you

as well as for the minister

and all those

who might be more prominent.

So each part

must have a living connection

with the head.

each part is important

and needed

and affects

every other part,

either positively

or negatively.

And finally,

the whole body,

we're persuaded today,

surely the whole body

needs the reviling power

of Christ.

We can never say,

and we certainly cannot say,

of the days in which

we live that the church

is greatly empowered

in the things of the gospel.

as you look at your own life,

as I look at mine,

certainly as I look at mine,

I have to say,

Lord,

I need to be revived.

I need to be quickened.

I need Your Holy Spirit

just to lift me,

to give me

a refreshment

in my soul.

And the church, too,

needs that.

And only God can do that.

I don't do it

by organizing things.

I don't do it

by conferences,

by committees,

all of which are very good

in their own place,

all of which are necessary.

The life of the church

is from the head.

The life and enabling

of the church

is from Christ

through His Spirit.

And it runs, then,

through every part

of the body

when it's functioning properly,

so that it edifies,

it builds itself up

in love.

Well, we pray that God

will bless these thoughts

on His Word.

Let's conclude

by singing to His praise.

And our final singing

is in Psalm 92.

Psalm 92,

and it's in the Scottish Psalter,

page 353.

And singing verses 12

to the end of the psalm.

But like the palm tree,

flourishing shall be

the righteous one.

He shall like to the cedar grove

that is in Lebanon.

Those that within

the house of God

are planted by His grace.

They shall grow up

and flourish all

in our God's holy place.

And you see again

through these verses

the togetherness

of God's people

as His church.

Those, plural,

planted within

the house of God.

So let's sing these verses

in conclusion,

but like the palm tree,

flourishing.

Amen.

But like the palm tree,

flourishing

shall be

the righteous one.

He shall like to the cedar grove

that is in Lebanon.

those that within

the hearts of God

are planted by His grace.

they shall grow up

and flourish all

in our God's holy place.

...

habe...

have land and είναι and forjamal

andreso

Cesar

is

a

agreement

that pela

sheola

is

a

be furnishing.

To show that

upright is the Lord,

he is our God

to be.

And he from all

the righteousness

is all

to ever be.

After the benediction, I'll go to the door here to my right.

Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father,

and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you now and evermore.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.